Ice cream hardener



Oct. 27, 1936. G. E. TuscAN ET AL f 2,059,065

ICE CREAM HARDENER Filed March 25, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l '2.8 v ,\O 1 ,'20 84 l 5| 36 3S ll sul' 4 lnvenToTs. George E.Tuscc1n Wilfred F Mohewson byMWwfM/,f Ays.

Oct. 27, 1936. l G. E. TUscAN ET AL 2,059,065

' Icx: CREAM HARDENER l Filed March 25, 1955 5 ysheetssheet 2 Fig@ lnvenTors. George E .Tuscon VVWred F Mohewson by/wdw Filed March 23; 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnvenTors. George E.Tuscon Wilfred'f-L Mclhfewson byafwwafw ATys.

'a E. TUscAN ET Al..

ICE.CREAM HARDENER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fi g. L

Ok 4:2 '5 l8/8` l A6 17 al as 45, a5 53 74` Z7 ff: 26`

BO l 4e 4B g 44 L 4338 u 5 ifa? 171i f anf 36 i 5 36 5 zo a7 ss,

4Q se' .'5

G7 `ll 63 64 4 t 70.!

7, es 6e lnvenors; George ELTuscon Oct. 27, 1936. G. E. TusAN ET AL 2,059,065

ICE CREAM HARDENER y Filed March 2s, 193:5 5 sheets-Sheet 5 Y* lnven'fors. George E.Tuscon Wilfred F'. Mu'rhewson by/wawa/W Patented Oct. 27, 1936 PATENT OFFICE 2,059,065 v1er. CREAM nAanENEa George E. Tuscan, Wollaston, and Wilfred `F. Mathewson, North Weymouth, Mass.

Application March 213, 1933, Serial No. 662,262' Claims. (Cl. (i2-95) This invention relates to an ice cream freezer and hardener and has for one of its objects to provide a novel device of this type which comprises 'a cabinet containing a refrigeratedl hard- 5 ening chamber or compartment in which the ice cream is hardened and an ice cream freezer mounted on the cabinet and arranged so that each batch of ice cream can be transferred from the freezer to a containerI in the hardening cabilo net by the action of gravity. y

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally ice cream freezers and hardeners in various particulars all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

`In order to give an understanding of the invention We have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims. gg Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through an ice cream freezer and hardener embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the ice cream freezer; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectionon the line 3 3, 2s Fig. 1; l

Fig. 4 is anenlarged section through the ice cream freezer on the line 44, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section through the hardening compartment on the line 5-5, Fig. l; y Fig. 6 is a perspective'view of one element of the driving connection for one of the mixing elements of the freezer;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the driving end of said element, that is, the end which engages with the driving member .shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the driving end of the shaft which rotates the paddle element of the freezer;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end of the paddle shaft which has driving engagement with the element shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a reduced section on the line I0III, Fig. 1.

The complete apparatus herein shown comprises an ice cream freezer indicated' generally at I in which the ice cream is frozen to the desired extent'and a hardening cabinet indicated generally at 2 which contains a refrigerated hardening chamber in which the ice cream is hardened after it is deposited from the freezer.

The hardening cabinet 2 may be made in any appropriate Way and it contains within it a refrigerated hardening chamber 3. Such hardening chamber 3 is constituted by the space within a housing or container 4, preferably of shee metal. For refrigerating the chamber 3 the housing 4 is shown as situated Within a brine tank 5 formed within the hardening cabinet 2 Aand this tank contains not only brine but the 5 refrigerating coil 6 by which the brine is kept at a low temperature.

The walls l of the hardening cabinet 2 outside of the brine tank are made of any suitable heatinsulating material and the side and top walls 1o may conveniently have a metal exterior face as shown at 8. 1 v

The upper end of the hardening chamber 3 is provided with an opening y9 and the top of the cabinet 2 is also provided with an opening IU 15 which registers with the opening 9. II indicates a removable cover for normally closing the opening I0.

' The ice cream to be hardened will preferably be deposited in cans I2 which maybe placed 20 within the hardening chamber 3 and for this purpose said chamber is shown as having a central post I3 on which are rotatively mounted two sleeves I4 and I5, each sleeve being supported on a collar I6 xed to thepost. 25

Each can is adapted to be supported in a can-supporting ring I1 that is provided on one side with a downwardly-extending pin I8 adapted to set into an opening yformed in one of the supporting sleeves I4 or I5. Each sleeve 30 I4 or I5 has provision for supporting a plurality of can-supporting rings I1,.four such rings being carried b'y each sleeve in the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

` As stated above each sleeve I5 is freely rotat- 35 able about the post I3 so that any one of the cans I2 inthe upper tier can be brought around into positionbeneath the openings 9, I 0.

The ice cream freezer I is formed with a horizontal cyllndrical'freezing chamber I9 which is o surrounded by a refrigerating chamber 20 in which the refrigerant is circulated.

The freezing chamber I9 is formed within a cylindrical casting 2I which is cored to provide the refrigerating chamber 20 and the ends of the 5 freezing chamber IS are formed by heads 25 and 26 whichclose the ends of the cylindrical casting 2| and are` tied together by tie rods 21.

22 and 23 indicate inlet and discharge pipes connected to the refrigerating chamber 2|) and 50 A throughwhich the refrigerating material is circulated in usual manner.

The head 26 is provided with an inlet opening .24 through which the material from which the batch of ice cream is made can beintroduced 55 into the yfreezing chamber I9, said inlet being provided with a cover 28 by which it is closed.

The head. 25 is provided with an opening of substantially the same size as the diameter of the freezing chamber I9, which opening is normally closed by a door 63 that will be presently described. Said door is'formed with a discharge opening 29 through which the frozen ice cream may be discharged from the freezing chamber `I9` and this discharge opening 29 is situated over the openings 9 and I0 so that it is possible to discharge the ice cream directly from the freezing chamber I9 into a can I2 which is located in register with the openings 9 and I0. The discharge opening 29 is normally closed by a gate or valve 36 pivotally mounted at 3| and provided with a handle 32 by which it may be swung upwardly into open position. The gate .is retained in its closed position by a headed stud 33, the shank of which is received in a slot 34 with which the gate is provided. This slot is open at the lower side of the gate so as to permit the latter to be swung upwardly to open the discharge opening 29. When the. gate is swung downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2 the ,slot 34 engages the stud 33 and locks the gate in closed position.

Situatedlnside of the freezing chamber I9 are stirring elements for keeping the ice cream stirred while it is being frozen. 'I'hese stirring elements rotate about a horizontal axis and are indicated at 35 and 36 respectively. T'he element 35 is in the form of a shaft rotatively supported at its ends in the heads 25 and doors 63 and provided with a plurality of radial blades 31. 'Ihe stirringelement 36 is in the form of two spirally-shaped blades which are situated closely adjacent the wall of the chamber I9 and which encircle the stirring element 35. There are two such blades 36 and said blades are connected at their ends to spiders 38,'39. T 'he heads 25 and 26 are provided with suitable supporting bearings for the spiders.

- 'Ihe shaft of the mixingelement 35 is journalled at one end in a bearing member 46 which extends through and provides a bearing for the-'spider 38, said bearing member being centered by means of a pointed center'I pin 4I carried by the door 63 of the head.25, the point of the centering pin entering a correspondingly-shaped recess in the member 48 as best seen in Fig. 4. The other end of the shaft of the stirring member 35 -is supported and rotated by `a driving shaft 42. This shaft 42 is provided at itsgend with teeth orprojections 43. which interleave with complemental projections 44 formed on the end of the shaft of the member 35.

The two shafts, that is, the shaft of.v the member 35 and the driving shaft 42 are held in axial alignment through a coupling pin 45, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and one end of which enters an axial recess in the end of the shaft 35 and the other end/of which enters anlaxial recess in the end of the driving shaft 42. v The stirring member 36 is rotated through the medium of a shaft 46 in the'form of a sleeve which encircles the shaft 42 and forms a bearing therefor. This sleeve 46 is mountedfor rotation in the hub 41 of the head 26 and on one end it is provided with projections 46 which are interleaved with corresponding complemental projections 49 formed on thespider 38.

The co-axial shafts 42 and 46 are driven through the medium of driving pulleys 50 and I, said pulleys being connected by belts 52 and 53 wisth pulleys 54 and 55 onvthe shaft of a m0- tor 5 aoaoes l In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the motor 56 is shown as situated beneath the freezing chamber.

The shell enclosing the freezing chamber is supported at its front end on a verticallyarranged supporting plate 51.and at its rear end on a yoke-shaped supporting frame 58 which straddles the motor 56. Both the supporting plate 51 and the supporting frame 56 are secured to a base 59 which in turn is mounted on the hardening cabinet 2.

The upper edge of the supporting plate 51 forms a cradle on which the ice cream freezer rests and said upper edge is secured to the head 25 by means of bolts 81. 'I'he yoke 58 which straddles' the motor 56 is secured to the head 26 by means of bolts 65.

The pulleys and the motor are preferably enclosed in a suitable casing 'and for this purpose there is provided a second vertically-arranged plate 88 at the rear of the` pulleys .which is secured at its lower'end to the base 59 and said plates 88 and 51 are connected along the sides by side plates 86, said plates 86, 88 and 51 forming a casing enclosing the motor.

The-ice cream lfreezer' is enclosed by a metal shell60. the lower edges of which are secured to the upper edges of the side plates 86.

u 'I'he vertically-arranged plates 51 and 38 are provided with openings closed by swinging doors 6I through which access may be had to xthe parts on the interior of the casing. The rear plate 86 is also provided with an opening in line with the pulleys 50, 5I, which opening is closed by a relmovable cover or closure 8|.

The door 63 with which the head 25 is provided is mounted so that it can be opened and closed. When the door is opened the stirring elements 35 and 36 can be removed through the open end 62 of the freezing chamber I 9.

This door or closure 63 is shown as carried by an arm 64 and is pivoted to the head 25 at 65. The door is locked in its closed relation by-Ymeans of a swinging locking yoke 66 pivoted to the head 25 at 61 and adapted to embrace the end 63 of the arm 64. The yoke 66 carries a roll 68 and so that when the yoke is swung into the full line the end 66 of the arm 64 has the cam surface 16 position Fig. 4 the roll by its engagement with the cam1 surface 18 will force the door or' closure 63 firmly tofits seat. This locking yoke 66 is provided with a handle 1I by which it may be swung from operative position shown in full lines Fig. 4 to the inoperative position sho'wn in dotted lines.

The centering pin 4I is shown as carried by the door or closure'63 and when said door is opened this centering pin is thus withdrawn from the bearing member 40. l Both the stirrers may be withdrawn through the open end 62 of the freezing chamber I9.

The connection between the stirring elements and the driving shafts 42 and 46 are such as to readily permitthese stirring elements to be separated from the shafts.

'Ihe stirring elements 35, 36 not only function to stir or mix the ice cream during the freezing process but they also serve to facilitate the discharge of the ice cream throughthe discharge opening 29 when the ice cream mass has been frozen to the desired amount and when it is ready to beldeposited in yone of the cans I2 of the hardening cabinet.

The blades 31 are arranged at an angle as shown I in Fig. 4 and the rotation of the stirrer 35 is in g direction which tends to force the material within the chamber i9 toward the left in Fig. 1 or toward the head 25.

The spiral blades 36 are so shaped and their direction o f rotation is such that they tend to force the material in the chamber l 9 to the right in Fig. 1 or toward the opening 62. When both stirring elements are operating, therefore, the blades 31 tend to force the central portion of the mass of ice cream toward the left Fig. 1 while the spiral blades 36 tend to force the outer portion of the ice cream mass toward the right. When the ice cream has been frozen to the proper consistency and it is desired to discharge it from the chamber I9 then the stirring element 35 is rendered inoperative and the blades 36 are rotated thereby forcing the ice cream toward the right Fig. 1 and if at.this time the gate 30 is opened the ice cream will be discharged through the discharge opening 29 into one of the containers I2.

The provision herein shown for rendering the stirring element 35 inoperative at such time as the ice cream is to be Vdischarged comprises a belt tightener 12 co-operating with the belt 53. This belt tightener is in the form of a roll carried by an arm 13 mounted on a shaft 14 that is `journalled in the supporting frames 51 and 58. The belt tightener normally is in the position shown in Fig. 3 in which position it causes the belt 52 to be sufficiently tight to properly drive its pulley 50. When this belt tightener is swung into `the dotted line position Fig.y 3 the belt 52 is slackened so that it will fail to drive its pulley 50 thereby rendering the stirring element 435 inoperative. When, therefore, the belt tightener is in the dotted line position the stirring blade 36 only will be rotated and the blades 31 will be inoperative. When the parts are operating in this way and the gate 30 is opened the blades' 36 will function to discharge the ice cream through the discharge port 29. The constructional features of the ice cream freezerare not claimed herein but `are made the subject of a separate application Serial No. 704,902, flledJanuary 2, 1934.

While we have illustrated herein a selected embodiment of the invention we do not wish to be limited to the constructional features shown.

Weclaim.

l. A hardening cabinet for an ice cream freezer comprising a refrigerated hardening chamber having an opening in its top, a stationary supporting post situated within said chamber at one side of the opening, said post being anchored at its upper and lower ends to the stationary top and bottom of said chamber, a collar fast on said post, a sleeve rotatively mounted on the post and supported by the collar, said sleeve having a plurality of openings extending parallel to the post, a plurality of separate can-supporting rings, each having a depending pin to be received in one of the openings of the sleeve, said rings being removable from thesleeve, rotation of the sleever on the post bringing the individual rings and l the cans supported thereby into register with the opening in .the chamber.

2. A device of the class described comprising a refrigerated hardening chamberv having an opening in its top, a stationary supporting post situated within said chamber at one side of the opening, the upper and lower ends of one post being anchored to the stationary top and bottom of said hardening chamber, two collars fast on said lpost, two sleeves rotatively mounted on saidy post, one sleeve vbeing supported by each collar, each sleeve having a plurality of openings extending parallel to the post but spaced therefrom, two sets of can-supporting rings, one for each sleeve, eachcan-supporting ring being widened on one side and provided at its widened portion with a depending pin adapted to be remova- 3. In an ice cream freezing apparatus, in comi bination, a hardening cabinet having a refrigerated hardening chamber provided with an opening in its top, a removable closure for said opening, a supporting post within said chamber, can-carrying means rotatably mounted onfsaid post and adapted to support a plurality of cans any one of which may be brought into register with said opening by rotation of said can-carrying means, an ice cream freezer mounted on the hardening cabinet and 'provided with a delivery spout situated over said opening, and means for causing the frozen ice cream to be discharged 'from the freezer through the delivery spout and directly into a can situated in line with said opening. p

4. A device of the class described comprising a refrigerated hardening chamber having an opening in its top, a stationary supporting post situated Within said chamber at one side of the opening, said post being anchored at its upper and lower ends to the stationary top and bottom of `said chamber, a collar fast on said post, a sleeve rotatably mounted on the post and supported by the collar, said sleeve having a plurality-of openings extending parallel to the post, a

plurality of can-supporting rings, each having a depending pin to be received in one of the openings of the sleeve, said rings being removable from the sleeve and rotation of the sleeve on the post bringing the individual rings and the cans supported thereby into register with the opening in the chamber, and an ice cream freezer supported on the chamber and having a discharge spout situated to deliver v'ice cream directly into a can situated within the hardening chamber in register with the opening thereof.

5. An ice cream freezing apparatus comprising a casing containing a brine tank, a hardening chamber partially submerged in the brine in the brine tank, the top of said chamber tting and engaging the top of the casing and providing a 4tight joint therewith, the top of the casing and the top of the chamber having aligned openings, a post in said hardening chamber at one side of the aligned openings, a can-supporting member rotatably mounted on said post and having provision for removably supporting a pluralyity of cans, the rotation of said member bring- 

